techno.blog("Dion")

I saw The Office: US Edition last night.

I love the UK version, and I am a fan of Steve Carell (it was good to see his cameo on The Daily Show the other night), and this one was OK.

I don’t know if the characters match up to the UK version, but maybe I just need time to see them in their own light. It is also hard as this episode is almost identical to the UK version (a few things changed of course). I think it will be better for them as they carve their own path.

I know that this sometimes happens, but I wish more shows were repeated in the wee hours, just to please my TiVo. It is frustrating when several shows that I want to record overlap (and I don’t have DirecTiVo with multiple tuners).

If the network put on the new show at 4am, then TiVo could be a good boy and grab it for me. Then I wouldn’t miss the show! This has probably stopped me from getting into new shows that I miss for old favorites.

Maybe the networks don’t care as they also know we skip commercials? :)

Ok, I know it is a little trite to put entries in like this. But, I was up in the wee hours last night, and one of the silly infomercials was for a Shoe Enlarger.

It is a device that lets you put shapes in various places on it, and then you shove it in your shoe. It stretches it this way and that.

I guess I could maybe understand this if you have broken a toe or something, but how about instead of buying that tool you:

Buy shoes that fit

Bob Liodice, CEO of the Association of National Advertisers, blames advertisers for killing television.

Here here. Whenever you hear people frustrated with certain advertising (some TV ads, online crazy popups, SPAM) someone will come along and say:

It obviously works else they wouldn’t do it.

It could work… but maybe it could work BETTER.

I have the crazy vision that advertising should be so good that the consumer actually wants it.

Sound really crazy? It happens at my house. I can see catalogs for IKEA, Pottery Barn, and er Victoria Secret (all my wife’s honest!) laying on the table. My wife WANTED these catalogs. She goes through them from time to time voluntarily.

This is a whole tomb of adverts that we wanted

Try to put ads around content that the consumer wants….. or at the very least…. make the ad entertaining ;)

Since it is Oscar night, I will mention that I saw The Motorcycle Diaries with family.

What can I say? THIS is a quality movie. How the hell can “The Aviator” be up in the running for awards, when there are top class movies like this.

How rare is it to be taken on a ride, one without insane heroics, but just a journey with a couple of interesting people.

I loved the Spanish in this movie. It is always interesting to watch a subtitled movie, and note that after a few minutes you totally forget about it.

Here’s to Che.

I was really excited when I first heard about The Office (my favourite UK comedy) coming to the US. Then I remembered Coupling, and how bad it was over here in the US :)

Well, I heard that NBC held off on The Office, and they put on ANOTHER Fear Factor instead. Well, tonight I saw a preview for it, and it is coming soon!

If it is half as good as David Brent and co…. then it will be the best thing on Must See T.V.

I just saw the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy new movie trailer.

For one, I am really excited that Arthur Dent is played by Tim from “The Office” (Martin Freeman).

Looking good!

UPDATE: A second trailer has been released. Hilarious

As soon as I saw The Apprentice with Donald Trump, I thought it would be a no-brainer to copy the show in the UK, using Richard Branson (Mr. Virgin).

It turns out that he has gone 1 step further and will be involved in another US reality show Branson’s Big Adventure.

On a side note, I used to know someone who worked at Virgin and he had the business title: “Chief Virgin Converter” :)